Tree threatens to crush house

CRUSHER: Emergency services ponder what to do about a tree dangling precariously over a house which has occupants who are refusing to leave.

IN SHE COMES: A branch through the roof reached nearly to the floor.

Relevant offers

A tree has fallen on an east-Auckland house threatening to crush it completely, but the occupants are refusing to leave.

University student David Choi arrived home to discover his a pine tree had fallen on his house and immediately contacted his mother, father and younger brother.

"It has literally pierced the house like a spear," he says. "It's gone right through my room, it was really shocking to see."

Fire communication confirmed a large tree had fallen through the roof of a house on Ti Rakau Drive, Pakuranga, just before 4pm.

Though no one had been hurt, a spokesman said the people living there were refusing to vacate the property, as they did not speak very good English and did not understand the danger of the second tree threatening the house.

Two trucks, as well as a specialist unit from Papatoetoe, were at the address trying to secure the tree and stop it doing further damage.

Civil Defence has booked the family of four into a hotel for the night while an aborist was to secure the trees around the property as soon as possible.